In a shocking incident from Budhana town in Uttar Pradesh’s Muzaffarnagar district, a 22-year-old college student who set himself on fire after allegedly being denied permission to appear for an examination due to non-payment of fees, succumbed to his injuries on Sunday evening.
The victim, identified as Ujjwal Rana, a second-year BA student at DAV College, Budhana, had sustained nearly 70% burn injuries after self-immolating on Saturday. He was initially treated at a local hospital and later shifted to Safdarjung Hospital in Delhi, where he passed away during treatment, police confirmed.
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Following the incident, three police personnel — Sub-Inspector Nand Kishor and constables Vineet and Gyanvir — have been sent to police lines for negligence of duty, according to SSP Sanjay Kumar.
Police said Ujjwal’s body is expected to reach his hometown on Monday. Meanwhile, teams have been formed to arrest the accused named in the case, the SSP added.
According to the complaint filed by Ujjwal’s family, the college principal allegedly called the police when Ujjwal staged a protest after being refused entry to the exam. The family has accused the police of harassment and blamed them for the tragedy.
Ujjwal’s sister, Saloni Rana, lodged a complaint against college manager Arvind Garg, principal Pradeep Kumar, teacher Sanjeev Kumar, and the three police personnel involved. An investigation into the incident is currently underway.
Reacting to the tragedy, Uttar Pradesh minister Anil Kumar has directed district authorities to take appropriate action.
The incident has triggered widespread outrage. The Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD), an ally of the ruling BJP, condemned the act and demanded strict punishment for those responsible. The Congress Party has called for a judicial inquiry, along with the arrest of the accused college officials and police personnel.
UP Congress president Ajay Rai termed the case a “murder by the system,” alleging that the state’s education system has been commercialised and students face immense pressure over unpaid fees. He said that such incidents expose the government’s apathy towards youth and education.
The Congress has demanded ₹1 crore compensation and a government job for Ujjwal’s family, besides urging the state to enact a law regulating private institutions’ fees and establish a financial aid fund for underprivileged students.
(This story is published from a syndicated feed)
